BLACKFRIARS THEATRE BUILDING 53 
y The extensive alterations necessary to convert the Blackfriars 
building into a theatre such as the preceding pages show, re- 
_ quired time. The property was purchased February 4, 1596. In 
_ November following, the work of reconstruction was under way. 
_ The petition to the Privy Council in that month declares the 
- owner meant “very shortly” to convert the building into a play- 
house. It is not likely that James Burbage finished the work, 
; for he died the following February, and the property came into 
a the hands of his son Richard, the famous Shakespearean man- 
__ ager-actor. 
There is slight probability and no evidence that the new theatre 
was occupied prior to about September, 1597. \ 
_ The cause of this delay was doubtless, first, the expiration of 
_ leases to tenants before work could begin; second, the death of 
_ James Burbage; third, the extent of the remodeling required; 
_ fourth, time necessary for Gyles and Evans to assemble and train 
' the Children after the enabling royal commission to Gyles in July, 
1597. 
_ It has generally been supposed that work was delayed by act 
_ of the Privy Council. This supposition is based upon the state- 
- ment twenty-one years later in the presumptuous and futile order 
of the Corporation of the City of London to stppress the Black- 
friars. It is there stated that the Privy Council in response to 
_ the petition of November, 1596, “then forhad the use of the said 
house for playes.’”® But I find upon personal examination that 
the original Privy Council Registers, preserved at the Privy 
Council Office, Whitehall Palace, giving all the official acts of 
that body, record no such order. It is certain therefore that the 
_ statement of the City Council in 1618-[19] is in error. The City 
but Mr. Gardiner [the owner] and 
antiquarians to whom I have sub- 
mitted it believe it genuine.” 
I have not seen the original, nor 
do I know the basis of this con- 
clusion. The documentary evi- 
dences, which this chapter attempts 
to assemble, disprove the relative 
proportions, shape, height, roof, &c., 
as shown in the picture. I fear 
therefore that the print may not be 
~ so authentic as I especially should 
be most glad to believe. The doc- 
uments show it differs in all essen- 
tials from the Blackfriars theatre. 
* Supra, 17°. - 
"Order for Suppressing the 
Blackfriars Theatre by the City 
Council “xxi° die Januarij 1618- 
[19].”—Original in the Guildhall 
Archives, Repertory 34, fol. 38). 
Printed in Halliwell-Phillips, op. 
cits, Ey 30 Ch, supra, 17. 
167 
